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Regreening of West African grasslands

Children herd cattle in the Sahelian region of northern Senegal. Using satellite data and statistical modeling, South Dakota State University scientists confirmed that the semiarid Sahel region, which is dependent on seasonal rains, have largely recovered from devastating drought in the 1970s and 1980s.

Credit: Peter Shapland

Trees tell story of regreening of West African grasslands

South Dakota State University

Summary

Regrowth of trees explains why grasslands in western Africa known as the Sahel have recovered after devastating droughts in the 1970s and 1980s, according to research. Previous studies have suggested that the Sahara Desert was marching southward, but the study refutes this notion, instead suggesting that it is the resilience of the Sahel, with much of the area getting greener and responding better to rainfall.